Envelope



P 1936. E, B. BERKOWITZ 2,055,716

ENVELOPE Filed Jan. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Shet 1 53/96/76 5 fierkaw/ta ATTORNEY Sept. 29, 1936. E. B. BERKOWITZ 2,055,716

ENVELOPE Filed Jan. 12, 1935 2 Shets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES mm other 13 Claims.

This invention relates to envelopes and more particularly to those of the window type for enclosing small cards, for example automobile licenses or cards. Owing to the small size of such it cards, they are likely to become lost in the mail and if they are enclosed in larger envelopes they soon become displaced relatively to the window opening so that the address thereon becomes concealed. loit is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an envelope of this character with means adapted to support a card smaller than the envelope itself in a predetermined fixed position so that an address on one face of the 35 card wili'at all times register with the window in the envelope.

Another important object of the invention is to provide for inspection of the card by the postal authorities.

in accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details or" structure, the preferred form of which is i1- instrated in the accompanying drawings, where- 1 is a perspective view of a window envelope embodying the features of the present invention, part of which is broken away to better illustrate its construction.

Fig. 2 is a shnilarperspective view of the opposite side of the envelope, the back face portion or back flap of which is broken away to better illustrate the card pocket.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the envelope blank.

pocket-forming patch applied and showing the blank partly folded.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the envelope illustrating the insertion of the card into the card 449, pocket.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the envelope after the card is inserted in the pocket and the seal flap is ready for sealing to the back flap.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the method 45 of inspecting the front side of the card.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing inspection of the rear side of the card. I

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates an envelope blank including a front face portion 2, a back face portion or back flap 3, side flaps 4 and 5, and a seal flap 6. The front portion 2 is provided with a window opening I through which the address on an article contained within the envelope is visible as in ordinary window envelope construction. The

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the blank with the back portion 3 is of substantially the same dimen sions as the front portion 2; however, the sides 8 and 9 thereof are cut bee slightly from the corresponding sides of the front face portion so that they will not lie coincidently therewith when the 5 back flap is folded over the front face portion. The side flap d is sealed directly to the back flap by a strip of adhesive ill which may be applied to the outer face of the side flap as shown in Fig. 3.

The opposite side flap 5 may be of the sanie 10 shape as the flap 4 and carries a gum spot it on the upper inner corner thereof that seals with the overlying corner it of the back flap to retain the envelope in folded condition prior to sealing of the seal flap 6. I

The seal flap 5 may be of conventional shape and is provided with a gum stripe l5 whereby it may be sealed over the back flap.

In order to provide a pocket within the envelope for supporting a card or similar article that is of smaller size with the address thereon in registry with the window opening I, the baclr flap 3 carries a patch of transparent material 6 of slightly larger size than the dimensions of the card to provide margins li' along the bottom edge i8 and the side edge is adjacent the side flap 1 which are sealed against the face of the back flap by angularly arranged adhesive stripes 2i] and 2i respectively, as shown in Figs. 3 and d.

In the illustrated instance, the adhesive stripes 3e are located so that when the patch is secured thereby, the upper edge 22 thereof aligns with the'edge 23 of the back flap to cooperate therewith in forming the respective sides of the pool;- et. The edge of theback flap is preferably cut away as at M to provide a finger-gripping portion by which the card may be readily removed from the pocket when the envelope is opened by the addressee. I

With the construction thus far described, it is apparent that the end'of the pocket adjacent the inspection side of the envelope is free from the back flap in order to provide an inspection opening 25 therebetween and through which the back side of the card may be inspected by the postal authorities; however, to prevent displacement of the card through the inspection opening, the upper corner of the patch is secured to the back flap byaspot of gumzt.

The spacing between the spot of gum 26 andthe' bottom stripe of gum 20 is less than the width of the card so that the card cannot he accidentally lost-therethrough.

After the envelope blank is formed and the re- '-spective gum stripes I5, 20 and 2i are applied, to-

gether with the gum spot 28, the transparent patch is attached by means of the gum stripes 20 and 2! and spot 26. The initial folds are then made by bending the side flaps 4 and 5 over the inner face of the front portion 2 and the gum strip l0 and spot H are applied, after which the back flap is folded over the side flaps so that the gum strip Ill sealingly engages the side flap 4 and the gum spot H sealingly engages the side flap 5,

completing the assembly of the envelope.

When the envelope is to be used by the addressor, the card designated 2'! bearing the name and place of the addressee is inserted in the top opening in the pocket that is formed between the inner face of the back flap and the transparent patch. In this position the address registers with the opening! and is visible through the transparent patch so that it can be read therethrough in the same manner as an ordinary open window envelope.

After insertion of the card, the gum IS on the sealing flap is moistened and the flap sealed over the back flap, thereby closing the top opening of the pocket. With the card inserted in the pocket and covered by the sealing flap, it is impossible forithe card to become displaced relatively to the window opening i.

The envelope thus prepared may be sent through the mail as ordinary third class postage since the card is readily accessible for inspection. by the postal authorities. For example, to inspect the contents of the envelope, it is grasped between the thumb and fingers of the hand as illustrated in Fig. 7 to cause spreading of the inspection opening so that the entire front face of the card is rendered visible due to the transparent patch.

To inspect the opposite side of the card, the finger of the other hand is inserted between the transparent patch and the back flap so that the transparent patch and card may be moved away from the back flap as shown in Fig. 8 to permit view of the rear face of the card.

' Attention is particularly called to the fact that the transparent patch not only permits inspection of the entire face of the card, but it also forms a closure for the window opening I to prevent soiling of the card.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided an open window envelope construction equipped with a card pocket for positioning a small card therein so that an address on the card is at all times retained in registry with and is clearly visible through the open window of the envelope. It is also apparent that the'card may be readily inspected by the postal authorities to obtain advantage of the lower class mail rates.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An envelope including front and back face portions and having an opening in one of said face portions, and a transparent patch fixed to the other face portion to form a pocket for supporting a card in a selected position relatively to said opening.

2. -An envelope including front and back face portions and having a window in one of said face portions, and a pocket formed on the inner side of the other of said face portions for supporting an .article in a selected position relatively to said window.

3. In an envelope including front and back face portions and having a window opening in one of said face portions, an inspection flap on one of said face portions, and a pocket constructed of transparent material and located between said face portions and having a window in one of said face portions, an inspection flap on one of said face portions having one end sealed to the other of said face portions, and a pocket between said face portions for supporting an article in selected position relatively to said window and having an inspection opening aligning with said inspection flap.

5. An envelope including front and back face portions and having a window in one of said face portions, and a pocket formed of a sheet of transparent material fixed to the other face portion and having smaller dimensions than said face portions to support an article in selective position over said window and to cover a portion of said article registering with saidwindow.

6. In an envelope including front and back face portions and having a window in one of said face portions, an inspection flap on one of said face portions, and a pocket between said face portions for supporting an article in selected position relatively to said window and having an inspection opening aligning with said inspection flap of less width than the article.

7. An envelope comprising a front face portion having a window therein, a back face portion folded over the front face portion, side flaps folded over the front face portion, a seal flap fold'able over the back face portion, means sealing an end of one of the side flaps to the back face portion to form an inspection opening, means sealing the other side flap with the back face portion to close that-side of the envelope, and a transparent patch smaller than the envelope and having edges adjacent said folded edge of the back face portion and the sealed side of the envelope affixed to the back face portion and having a comer nearest said inspection opening sealed to the back face portion to provide respectively an insert opening adjacent the seal flap and an inspection opening adjacent the first-named inspection opening.

8. An envelope including front and back face portions, side flaps on one of said face portions, adhesive affixing one of the side flaps to the other of the face portions, a seal flap on one of the face portions and adapted to sealingly engage the other of said face portions, and a. transparent rectangular patch having a pair of adjacent edges and a comer opposite said adjacent edges fixed to the inner side of one of the face portions to form a pocket having openings adjacent theseal flap and the other of said side flaps respectively.

9. An envelope including front and back face portions, side flaps on one of said face portions, a gum spot on one of said side flaps sealingly engaging the other face portion, adhesive sealing the other side flap to said other face portion, a sealing flap on one of the face portions and adapted to sealingly engage the other of said face portions, and a transparent rectangular patcl having a pair of adjacent edges and a con opposite said adjacent edges fixed to one o face portions to form a pocket having or adjacent the sealing flap and the side fla' the gum spot respectively.

10.. An envelope including front 8' portions interconnected at one of flaps on the other edges of one of the face portions, al' gum spot on one of said flaps sealingly engaging the other face portion, adhesive fixing the others of said flaps to said other face portion, and a transparent patch having a pair of adjacent sides and a corner opposite said adjacent sides fixed to one of the first-named face portions to form a pocket having inspection and insert openings adjacent the flap having the gum spot and the adjoining sealed flap.

'11. An envelope including front and back face portions interconnected at one of their edges and having a window in one of said face portions, flaps on the other side edges of one of the face rtions, a spot of 'esive'on one of said flaps seahngly engag the other face portion, adhesive fixing the other of said fiaps to said other face portion, and a transparent patch having [adjacent sides and a corner opposite said adjacent sides fixed to the inner side of one of the face portions to form a pocket in registry with said window and having inspection and insert openings adjacent said spot of adhesive and the adjoining sealed fiap respectively.

12. An envelope including front and back face portions interconnected at one of their edges and having a window in-one of said face portions, flaps on the other side edges of one of said face portions, adhesive fixing an end of one of the flaps having a window therein and provided with back and side flaps folded over said face portion and with a sealing flap foldable over the back flap, a

gum spot on one of the side flaps at an end' thereof nearest the sealing flap and sealingiy engaged with the back flap to form an inspection opening, adhesive uniting the other side flap with the back flap to close that side of the envelope, and a transparent patch having edges adjacent said folded edge of the back flap and the sealed 20 side of the envelope afiixed to the back flap and having a corner nearest said gum spot sealed to the back flap to provide respectively an insert opening adjacent the sealing flap and an inspection opening adjacent the first-named inspection EUGENE B. BERKOWITZ. 

